Wednesday, 31 October 2012

At the heart of the MiddleIslands
humans live peacefully among elves, goblins, trolls and fairies. Drunken brawls
may erupt in taverns, entertainment may be savage, dubious deals are done, but
generally major problems are avoided. Tabitha, inexperienced and young but
daring and courageous when trouble strikes, is determined to restore order and
desperate to prove herself.. Meanwhile at the Legless Tavern, overworked and
undervalued, half-goblin boy, Joseph Grubb, finds a mysterious package
threatening his life and that of the whole port. Menace encroaches and tension
escalates as both a pirate mob and the powerful League of Light, dedicated to
rooting out non-humans, wrestle for control. Then a vengeful witch returns,
brewing retribution for her banishment in a spectacularly catastrophic fashion.
An excellent debut fantasy novel which will entrance readers in its humour,
setting and essential humanity, but which is original, witty and wise Full of
pace and unexpected twists it will engage younger readers.

Tina Massey

Invisible Assassin:
The Malichea Quest,

Written by Jim Eldridge

Bloomsbury (eB) £6.99

ISBN: 978-1408817193

Jake is working as a Junior
Communications Officer in a government department. His life becomes very
complicated when he stumbles across the discovery of a hidden book which
appears to hold an important secret about the future of the world. The plot unfolds to reveal that there are
more books, forming a whole library of hidden knowledge. Each book is guarded by a person or an
organisation, and it’s a dangerous task as Jake’s book and story bring danger
and at least two deaths. This is an exciting spy story which reads like a James
Bond thriller. Jake starts as an
unlikely hero but rises to the occasion to outwit his enemies. The plot moves
quickly, with intriguing twists and turns, and keeps the reader guessing
throughout. The characters are real and
the style is direct and accessible. A very readable adventure story!

Liz Dubber

Talina in the Tower

Written by Michelle Lovric

Orion (eB) £9.99

ISBN 978-1444003383

Michelle Lovric’s latest Venetian
tale is a dazzling mix of magical creatures and fantastical deeds. Resourceful, and sometimes wilful, children
frequently feature in her children’s novels, and Talina is no exception. Taken
by her guardian to live in a remote Venetian tower when her parents
mysteriously disappear, Talina must muster all her guile in order to defeat a
wolf-like breed of Ravageurs who are filled with “baddened magic” and have
epicurean appetites. Befriended by a
colony of cats and aided by her friend Professor Marin’s clever concoctions,
Talina journeys to the isle of the Ravageurs to rescue her parents and save Venice from impending
peril. The narrative moves along at a
cracking pace and is brimming with inventive detail. A hallmark of Michelle’s
Venetian tales is the anecdotal & historical information about Venice which the reader
gathers on the way, with further informative detail in a useful appendix. At
the heart of this absorbing adventure lies a tale of justice and compassion in
the face of cruelty. The richly
embellished language with its comic touches and anthropomorphic characters
makes this a highly satisfying read.

Elaine Chant

The Paradise
Trap

Written by Catherine Jinks

Quercus (eB) £6.99

ISBN: 978-0857386731

The Paradise Trap
perfectly illustrates how your dream holiday can turn into your worst
nightmare. Marcus is horrified when his Mum, Holly, buys a caravan at DiamondBeach to relive her childhood holidays.
However, the area has changed considerably, and not for the better, also the
caravan is dilapidated and smelly. When they bump into Coco,
Holly’s childhood friend, and her rather eccentric family, Marcus thinks things
may not be so bad after all. That is before he and Coco’s
son Eddison find a cellar beneath Marcus’ caravan, a cellar with many doors
leading either to everyone’s dream holiday, or their worst nightmare. I really enjoyed this original story. There
is no contrived plot device to get rid of the parents, who are fully involved
in the adventure, adding quirky behaviour; embarrassment for the children, but
laughs for the reader. Their expertise complements the children’s ingenuity to
overcome the many obstacles to their escape. The story moves along at a
thrilling pace, with short exciting chapters making it fun and easy to read.
Any book where the villain is an evil child-eating Siren and the hero is a
genius gamer, has to be worth reading.

Jane
Hall

Agent 21: Reloaded

Written by Chris Ryan

Red Fox (eB) £5.99

ISBN: 978-1849410083

A former SAS officer, Ryan is now
an established writer of both children’s and adult fiction which draws on his
real-life experiences. In this sequel to Agent
21, we catch up with Zak Darke, 14 years old and an orphan, recruited to a
secret government agency to infiltrate situations unsuitable for adult
operatives. Presumed dead by his remaining family after his previous mission,
we find that Zak is alive, and about to be deployed once more. His task this
time is to plant an explosive device on an African ship that will be carrying
diamonds used by the terrorist organisation, Black Wolf, to launder dirty
money. As you would expect, there are plenty of twists, turns, surprises and
gadgets to keep the reader engaged with this page-turner. There are unexpected
allies and resurrected villains in the mix as well. The USP of all Chris Ryan’s
action novels is, of course, that Ryan has really been there and done that. No wonder,
then, that the book is filled with technical and operational detail. So if you
want to learn about AK47s, the bends and STARS (Surface to Air Recovery
Systems) extractions, you’ve come to the right place. Stella
Maden

The Chronicles
of Harris Burdick

Edited by Chris Van
Allsburg

Andersen £14.99

ISBN:
978-1849394086

Fifteen
years ago a mysterious author named Harris Burdick handed in a collection of
beguiling pictures to a children’s publisher and then disappeared completely.
That is what Chris Van Allsburg would like us to believe. Although his style is
so distinctive, it is hard not to conclude that the hand behind the
illustrations for the Burdick sketches was also the perpetrator of that fabulous
picture book, Polar Express. In this
edition of the Burdick mystery, Allsburg has compiled fourteen stories from
major names in the writing world, like Jon Scieszka, Lois Lowry and Stephen
King. Each of the tales was inspired by one of the pictures and the brief
evocative words that accompany them. There is no end to the way in which these
can be interpreted but such classics as ‘Uninvited Guests’, ‘The Seven Chairs’
and ‘The House on Maple Street’, in the hands of these authors, deal with the
loneliness and unease which often pervades modern life and leave us wondering,
like the HB enigma, what exactly is real in this world.

Richard Monte

Crow Girl

Written by Kate Cann

Barrington
Stoke (R) £6.99

ISBN: 978-1781121214

Lily is a victim in school,
bullied by the girls and ignored by the boys. One evening she escapes into the
woods and feeds some crows. This event is the beginning of her new life! Her
Grandma changes the physical Lily, but the crows change her mentally. Lily
begins to tame the crows so that they follow her and come when she calls. Using
their natural behaviour, they become her allies. Her life is transformed by her
relationship with the crows; she achieves the boyfriend of her dreams and the
bullies are routed. This is a classic tale of a bullied loner who turns the
tables on her tormentors. At the end of the story, there is the feeling that
Lily is relishing her revenge and the reader is left with the niggling feeling
that the bullied is turning into a bully herself, and enjoying it! This is a
good discussion point for readers about the causes and nature of bullying and
what the response should be. This is quite a short story-labelled “dyslexic
friendly”- that entices the reader on, in order to find out what happens. It
ends rather abruptly, so for any real resolution, the reader would need to read
the two sequels Crow Girl Returns and
Crow Girl Rises.

Pat Thompson

Crow Girl Rises

Written by Kate Cann

Barrington Stoke (R) £6.99

ISBN: 978-1842999936

One of the Barrington Stoke
specialist books for young people with dyslexia, this book is also a short,
punchy read for any teen. Picking up where its predecessor, Crow Girl left off, this book follows
the next stage of Lily Stansfield’s transformation from bullied outsider to
self-confident protector of others. Using her bond with the local crows, who
she has befriended, Lily puts paid to the bullying ways of the Parkway Girls
once and for all. Along the way, she earns the adoration of the girls she
protects, discovers a talent for costume making, and acquires a boyfriend who
admires her cleverness and difference to others. Lily doesn’t change herself in
order to fit in, she simply makes the most of the person she is to find
creative outlets and like-minded people. Cann delivers a pacey and compelling
read in very few pages, and in direct, straightforward language. She also puts
over very successfully the message that if young people play to their strengths
and find their happiness, they can transform their lives.

Stella Maden

The Seeing

Written by Diana Hendry

Bodley Head (eB)
£10.99

ISBN: 978-0370332130

This is a fabulous book, set in
1953, just eight years after the end of WW2. The prologue sets an intriguing
scene, whose relevance is only revealed at the very climax of the story. The
tale itself opens with a meeting at school, and a subsequent friendship,
between Lizzie and the strange Natalie and her odd young brother Philip.
Natalie lost her father during the war and this event has set in train a
bizarre series of events where she and her brother, who has apparently got
second sight, claim to see into peoples’ hearts and to discover if they are
undercover Nazis waiting to spring into action. Despite her doubts, Lizzie is
almost hypnotised by Natalie. Philip begins to make new friends including an
artist, who Natalie has “identified” and she goes her own way to “eliminate the
enemy”, with tragic consequences. It is a story on many levels, about
friendship with a dominant and manipulative person and about a child, for
Natalie is still a child, who was so traumatised, when quite young, by the loss
of a parent in war, that she devises her own way of getting revenge, using her
own brother’s dubious powers. It’s
brilliant!

Pat Thompson

Body Blow

Peter Cocks

Walker Books (eB) £6.99

ISBN 978-1406327281

Eddie Savage, 18, is recovering
from the gunshot wounds and trauma of his first foray as a criminal
intelligence agent. Bored in hiding in Stoke-on-Trent, he readily takes on
another undercover job in Spain
disguised as Pedro Garcia, a Spaniard who will be of use to the infamous Kelly
gang. Eddie/Pedro has been rapidly trained in the Spanish language and deadly
combat. Though his looks have been expertly altered, Eddie risks discovery as
it was he who put former gang-leader, Tommy Kelly, behind bars (in the first
title of the series, Long Reach).
Tommy’s brother, Frank, even madder and less predictable, now runs the
operation. The rapid pace, real locations and explosive violence propel the
reader on while quite complex characters and underworld routines make for
credibility.

Tina Massey

Grisha Book 1: The Gathering
Dark

Written by Leigh Bardugo

Indigo (eB) £8.99

ISBN: 978-1780621104

This is the first of The Grisha Trilogy and we are introduced
to two orphans, Alina and Mal, somewhere in Russia. Alina discovers a power that takes her into
the world of the Grisha, the kingdom’s magical elite. The Darkling is the
leader of the Grisha and Alina is attracted to him but knows she must discover
how to unlock her power if she is to save her country and help Mal. The
characters are very strong and the story is fast with lots of intrigue and
excitement. This will really appeal to teenage fantasy fans that will be
looking forward to the sequel.

Ingrid Fox

Burn Mark

Written by Laura Powell

Bloomsbury (eB) £6.99

ISBN 978-140881522 9

The ‘burn mark’ is the dark
bloodspot marking a witch. Glory, a young trainee witch of a once-powerful
coven, strives to keep her ability secret as a violent criminal family try to
pressure her into marriage so that they can use her to dominate the whole of
east London.
Meanwhile Lucas, son of the Inquisition’s Witchfinder General, proud to be a
twelfth generation Witchfinder, is appalled to discover his own burn mark.
Lucas and Glory join forces to combat threats from gang members engrossed in
gang warfare, their own families and finally a secret cult of witch haters. The
two allies must learn how to control their gifts, whilst trying to infiltrate
the gangs and to avoid capture and torture. A most unusual novel which sets 20th
Century London criminals, a modern day Inquisition, and the problems of adulthood and being different into complex patterning. At
its heart is a concern for people and compassion for others. Surprisingly
credible, a thoughtful and authentic read.

Tina Massey

Velvet

Written by Mary Hooper

Bloomsbury (eB) £6.99

ISBN: 987-0747599210

This is another wonderful story
from a writer of great historical fiction.
The Victorian heroine of this story, an orphan called Velvet, is rescued
from her exhausting job in a steam laundry to become a lady’s maid for the well
known clairvoyant Madame Savoya. Velvet cannot believe her luck and she easily
adapts to her new life, completely believing that Madame’s amazing powers are
quite genuine. As time goes by Velvet becomes aware that there are a great
number of fake mediums operating in London
and she begins to wonder if Madame might also be a fraud, extorting money from
the rich and vulnerable to maintain her expensive lifestyle. Thank goodness
Velvet has a good friend who is a policeman! Although Madame Savoya is a
fictional character it is well known that the Victorians were very interested
in spiritualism and many prominent people, like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
regularly attended séances. The author has woven a great deal of accurate
historical details into Velvet’s story, but thankfully this does not weigh the
story down.

A message of peace and goodwill
at Christmastide runs through every page of this appealing book. As the title
suggests it is a collection of ten short Christmas stories, gently retold,
which includes the Nativity story taken from the Gospels as well as tales and
legends displaying a variety of Christmas traditions from around the world. The
large text and the playful illustrations on every page make this the ideal book
for the young reader to dip into.

Sinead & Martin Kromer

The Snow Bear

Written by Holly Webb

Stripes £7.99

ISBN: 978-1847152558

It is a few days before Christmas
but Sara feels lonely and left out, staying with Grandad as Mum is expecting.
To cheer her up Grandad builds her an igloo in the garden with a snow bear to
guard her. Whilst it is still dark she wakes up in a magical world with a polar
bear cub as companion. What has happened and how will she get back to Grandad?
Another tender and gentle story for young readers from the pen of a
best-selling author.

Sinead & Martin Kromer

The
Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog Goes for Gold!

Written by Jeremy Strong

Illustrated by Rowan Clifford

Puffin (eB) £5.99

ISBN: 978-0141339962

Another addition to the plethora
of books with a sporting theme and by the end of the year there will be enough
of them to fill an Olympic Library. But maximising commercial opportunities
does not make a story poor, and Jeremy Strong has created a lively and enduring
duo in 10 year old Trevor and his dog Streaker. They have that special
child-pet relationship that will resonate with those of us lucky enough to have
been brought up with animals in the family (and before people start picturing
that unappealing cousin or pestering sibling, I do mean real animals, not
metaphorical ones). The Animal Games are coming to town, and Trevor wants
Streaker to shine. He has high hopes for the Doggie Frisbee competition, but
Streaker does not have the soul of a dedicated athlete as he would rather play
than train. It is a humorous story with a surprisingly complicated plot: it has
a bully, a criminal hypnotist, and even a bit of (unrequited) love interest in
the form of Tina, Trevor’s close and ever-hopeful friend.

Ingrid Fox

Guinea Pigs Online

Written by Amanda Swift and Jennifer Gray

Quercus (eB) £4.99

ISBN: 978-0857389909

Coco
and Fuzzy are two contented guinea pigs until Fuzzy ends up in the hands of
Scarlet Cleaver, a restaurant owner who seems to be collecting guinea pigs at
an alarming rate. When Coco
learns the awful truth – that Fuzzy and the others are on the menu for the
Queen’s visit, she knows she must take action. With the help of techno-wiz
Terry and other guinea pig friends, she faces the challenge. This action-packed
tale will have broad appeal.

Marianne Adey

Alien Invaders 7: Junket - The
Flying Menace

Written by David Sinden, Guy Macdonald and Matthew Morgan
(a.k.a. Max Silver)

Illustrated by Nikalas Catlow

Red Fox (eB) £4.99

ISBN: 978-1849412360

Everything about this book will
appeal. It has a vibrant, garish cover showing Cosmo, our hero, defeating an
enormous alien robot and inside there are similar black and white sketches to
illustrate the story. Cosmo Santos is an earthling agent who is on a mission in
space and must save the galaxy from Kaos and the metallicon agents. The
chapters are short, the font is large, and the plot is action packed. Inside the cover there are glossy gaming
cards to cut out and keep, or swap, giving information about the aliens. The book is also supported by a “top secret”
website with competitions, games and videos.

Ingrid Fox

Shadows under the Sea

Written by Sally Grindley

Bloomsbury (eB) £4.99

ISBN: 978-1408819449

This is Sally Grindley’s second
book about Joe and Aesha who accompany their parents to exotic locations to
help protect endangered species. In this book they travel to the Philippines
where the children’s father has been invited to photograph seahorses in their
natural environment to help raise awareness that these beautiful creatures are
under threat. The Seahorse project is working in the area trying to persuade
the local human population to protect the seahorses and their coral reef home.
While on the island Joe becomes friendly with Dario, a local boy, and together
they try to thwart a gang carrying out illegal blast fishing. There is a lot of
information woven into this story and young readers will learn a lot about
seahorses, life in the Philippines
and the many uses of seaweed. The point is also made that in the poorer parts
of the world people often carry on with illegal fishing practices simply
because they need to feed their families. There is plenty to think about in
this book and it would appear that there are more titles to come in this series,
which is being produced in conjunction with the London Zoo.

Jan Lennon

The Clumsies Make a Mess of
the School

Written by Sorrel Anderson

Illustrated by Nicola Slater

Harper Collins (eB) £4.99

ISBN: 978-0007438679

Although it sounds great fun to
have talking mice and a small elephant living in your office, Howard Armitage
would disagree. The Clumsies; eating-obsessed Mickey Thompson, his friend
Purvis, along with Ortrud the elephant, try hard to keep mild-mannered Howard
out of trouble with bullying boss Mr. Bullerton. Unfortunately for
Howard, their help causes nothing but chaos. In this story, the fifth of the
series, Mr. Bullerton decides to be guest of honour at the local school’s
sports day and sends Howard along to make the arrangements. However, with
the ‘help’ of the Clumsies, by the time Mr. Bullerton arrives, the school is
partially flooded, the children’s lunches have all been eaten and Howard finds
himself taking part in all of the races. In this madcap tale each page is
a joy with amusing illustrations effectively mixed in with photographs. There
is an interesting use of typefaces for specific words - adding emphasis and
often becoming part of the illustration.

Jane Hall

The Sprite Sisters: The Boy
with Hawk-like Eyes

Written by Sheridan
Winn

Sheridan Winn (eB)
£7.99

ISBN: 978-0957164802

Each of the Sprite sisters has a
magical power related to one of the four elements – earth, water, fire or air.
The girls’ magic must be kept secret and used only for good. In this book, the sixth in the series, Ariel
harnesses her power of Air to learn to fly and uses it to save her family
threatened by an invasion from insect-like creatures. This is a book for those who enjoy mystery,
fantasy and adventure. The story is pacy
and the characters – 21st century Famous Fivers.

Ingrid Fox

Shrinking Violet

Written by Lou Kuenxler

Scholastic £5.99

ISBN: 978-1407130040

Violet has just achieved her
life’s ambition because, at last, she is tall enough to ride the Plunger!!
However, just as she reaches the head of the queue, she shrinks to fish finger
size! Sadly, the family don’t actually see this happen and are totally
mystified about where she has gone. After some frightening encounters with an
earthworm, a rat and a rubbish bin, Violet finally returns to her normal size.
As she is quite unable to control either the shrinking or the re-growing, this
is a skill that Violet would definitely prefer NOT to have! However, when her
Granny is accused of stealing from the other residents in her care home, Violet
desperately wants to find out the secret of how to control her shrinking, so
that she can uncover the real thief; and finally, she does! This is a really
good, fast moving story, very funny at times, but with moments of pathos. It is
full of memorable characters, good, bad and all shades in between and it
certainly has a very satisfactory ending.

Pat Thompson

Dark Lord: A Fiend in Need

Written by Jamie Thomson

Illustrated by: Freya Hartas

Orchard (eB) £5.99

ISBN: 978-1408315125

A Fiend in Need is the
second in the devilishly funny Dark Lord series. The first book ended
with the Dark Lord (now in the body of Dirk, a 13-year-old boy) trying to
return to “the Darklands”, but the spell went wrong, sending his Goth friend
Sooz there instead. This book opens with Sooz settling into her new role as
Dark Queen, redecorating the DarkTower to her taste,
freeing the prisoners from the “Slave Pits of Neverending Toil” and making
peace with the Dark Lord’s enemies. Meanwhile, back on earth Dirk is still
trying to get home, whilst being under constant attack from his sworn enemy,
the White Witch. Author Jamie Thompson has created a hugely entertaining
series, where the ‘bad-guys’ are the ‘good-guys’ and vice versa. Anti-hero
Dirk’s attempts to be ‘human’ are hilarious, as are the characters’ names e.g.
the Ogre Lord, “Gallons Blubberbelly”. The schemes to try to get Dirk home are
highly imaginative, not to mention extremely dangerous. The action is non-stop, fully engaging the
reader with the predicaments of the characters. Look out for the cleverly-comic
illustrations. A Fiend in Need is laugh out loud funny throughout.

Jane Hall

The World of Norm: May contain
nuts

Written and illustrated by Jonathan Meres

Orchard (eB) £5.99

ISBN:978-1408313039

The World of Norm: May cause Irritation

Written and illustrated by Jonathan Meres

Orchard (PB) £5.99

ISBN: 978-1408313046

Norm thinks the world is against
him! In the first two of this hilarious new series, nearly 13 year old Norm gets
up to all sorts of scrapes and scams, but usually falls flat on his face. Even his 7 year old brother can out-scam
him! Norm uses his best friend and naïve
perfect cousin to his advantage, but comes a cropper against the devious girl
next door. Meres is a multi-talented
author, script writer, stand-up comic and actor. His Norm books are very entertaining and
infectious for their pace and wit. Text,
fonts, and illustrations are creatively deployed on every page. Even the most reluctant reader will be drawn
to the world of Norm.

Dave Chant

What Holly Did

Written by Joan Lingard

Catnip £5.99

ISBN: 978-1846471568

Joan Lingard triumphs again with
this sequel to her story “What to do about Holly”. Holly’s parents have
separated, with Mum living in Glasgow and Dad living in Edinburgh. Mum, together with her scary
boyfriend, are far from responsible and reliable and so Holly has come to live
with dependable Dad, but that doesn’t stop her worrying about her Mum. This is
a heart-rending story about a young girl suffering separation and loneliness
whilst longing for security and stability.

Sinead & Martin Kromer

Kensuke’s
Kingdom

Written by Michael
Morpurgo

Egmont (R) £5.99

ISBN:
978-1405264259

The stage and screen adaptations of War Horse may have brought Michael
Morpurgo to a global audience, but this story of a boy shipwrecked at sea and
washed up on a Pacific island still ranks as one of his best books. The complex
relationship between the young lad and Kensuke has been compared to Crusoe and
Friday in Defoe’s masterpiece. Kensuke (pronounced Kensky) teaches the boy how
to survive so that he too becomes part of a paradise with its orang-utans,
gibbons, palm trees, shells and caves. But where did the old man come from and
why is he so afraid of leaving the island? Also, if the boy cannot abandon the
thought of ever finding his parents again is he condemned to a life waiting for
a ship to rescue him? Perhaps the message of the book is best summed up in
Kensuke’s words “Life must not be spent always hoping, always waiting. Life is
for living.”

Richard
Monte

Raven Mysteries 6:
Diamonds and Doom

Written by Marcus Sedgwick

Illustrated by Pete Williamson

Orion Books
£9.99

ISBN: 978-1842556986

The story starts
with an extract from “Solstice’s completely secret and totally private diary”
and from this we learn that Edgar the Raven has gone missing and, totally
horrifyingly, Castle Otherhand is up for sale as the family has run out of
money. Thankfully, Edgar does return, but saving the castle is not easy and
Solstice’s attempt to find the fabulous lost treasure by casting a spell
doesn’t actually seem to help at all. In fact, Solstice’s spell has a series of
hilarious consequences such as a snowstorm appearing in the gallery above the
small hall, all the stairs from the first floor to the ground floor turning to
raspberry jelly and all sorts of strange creatures appearing inside and outside
the castle. It seems Marcus Sedgwick’s imagination knows no bounds! Obviously
fans of this series will love this book, but even if you haven’t read the
earlier stories, this is still a hugely enjoyable read and Pete Williamson’s
wonderfully gothic black and white illustrations add yet another dimension to
the fun. I am sure that any reader new to the series will want to go back and
read all the earlier books having laughed their way through this one.

This is an endearing picture book
from a winning author/illustrator collaboration. Three barn owls are born in a nest in a big
oak tree, but the youngest refuses to leave the safety of the tree to learn to
fly. The big wide world looks simply too scary!
Eventually she is persuaded, and the following year finds her raising
her own young in a big beech tree in the same woods. This lovely book is full
of engaging and enriching text, together with pastel illustrations that are
both atmospheric and sympathetic to the silent flight of the barn owl. The text has rhythm, pattern and eloquent
allusions to the natural world around.
The story is simple but effective and well-balanced, with elements of
tension and a happy resolution. The
illustrations are softly drawn and evocative without being sentimental, and
flood the pages with gentle colour, conjuring the twilight world of the owl
family. This is a beautiful book, ideal for reading aloud or as a bedtime story
for very young children.

Liz Dubber

Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket

Written by Tatyana Feeney

OxfordUniversity
Press £11.99

ISBN: 978-0192757920

It’s an oft told tale of when the
comfort blanket or toy needs washing much to the distress of its small
owner. In this case, the blanket is blue
and the owner is a small bunny. Feeney’s
illustrations are simple, but effective, line drawings with splashes of blue
for the blanket. The first half of the
text is repetitive and rhythmic. After
the dreaded washing Bunny takes his new, clean blanket through all the
activities that got it dirty in the first place and soon it is back to being
just the way he likes it. The language
is simple enough that it could be returned to in later years when the child is
ready to read it for themselves, but the book’s initial attraction will be as a
cosy shared read about a common childhood situation.

Annalise Taylor

The Hueys in the New
Jumper

Written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Harper Collins (eB)
£10.99

ISBN: 978-0007420650

A large format book and large
text introduces the Hueys. These are
bean-like creatures which tend to look identical and behave in identical
ways. Then Rupert knits himself “a nice
new jumper” and brings shock and confusion to the Huey community. But the Hueys
obviously need conformity because soon they all have jumpers. Identical ones! I hope the readers start
arguing about this one. Is it about conformity, trendsetting or limited
knitting skills? And how did the Hueys
get to the endpapers where they all wear wildly different hats? The discussion starts here!

Pat Thomson

Not on a School Night!

Written and illustrated by Rebecca
Patterson

Macmillan £5.99

ISBN: 978-0230747685

Two young
brothers share a bunk bed and a sense of mischief. They really don’t want
to go to sleep. Every night from Monday to Thursday they think up noisy
games to play after bed-time, until Mummy and Daddy have to intervene.
But Friday is different – as it’s not a school night. They enjoy tea in
their den, staying up late, and watching TV until they fall asleep briefly,
until Saturday morning - yet another lively time! The cheerful cartoon style
pictures make this a bright and lively read. The boys are shown with a
host of toys, leaping about their room, playing and jumping and having a great
time. The images are full of life and almost seem to bounce off the page.
The language is simple and repetitive and should engage the youngest
child. The pictures also offer plenty to talk about beyond the limited
language of the text.

Liz Dubber

Copycat Bear!

Written by illustrated by Ellie Sandall

Hodder £11.99

ISBN: 978-1444901573

Mango, the bird, had an enormous
friend. He was a blue bear who loved to copy everything Mango did. When Mango hopped daintily along the ground,
Blue wobbled right after him. When Mango
flew into a tree, Blue climbed up too, shaking all the new twigs out of Mango’s
nest. Flying off by herself seemed a
good idea at first but then Mango had second thoughts. Large stylish illustrations and a satisfying
tale of accommodation within friendship make this book the perfect choice to
share with a young audience.

Marianne Adey

The Littlest Bear

Written by Gillian Shields

Illustrated by Polona Lovsin

Macmillan £5.99

ISBN: 978-0230754454

This is a
charming if sentimental story about a small polar bear and his mother living in
the snows of the north. The illustrations are fairly one-dimensional, but
nevertheless the story reads well. The littlest bear is told by his
mother not to go too far in case of meeting the wild white wolf. Of
course, little bear forgets the warning and wanders off, only to encounter a
small white wolf, child of the wild white wolf, who in turn has been warned
against the dangers of the wild white bear. Fortunately the two realise
they need not be afraid of each other, and become playmates, much to the
surprise of their mothers. It is a simple story which defies the rules of
nature and hardly offers a realistic view of life in the frozen north. But it
does provide a comforting story suitable for bed-time for the youngest children
and has the capacity to provoke discussion about animals, the northern
landscape and even the northern lights which feature on a couple of mystical
dream sequence pages.

Liz Dubber

Hairy Hettie

Written by Polly Lawson

Illustrated by Jo Allan

Kelpies £5.99

ISBN: 978-0863158711

Hettie is so incredibly hairy
that birds, butterflies and even a squirrel and a mountain hare recognise her
warm thick fur coat as a rare and special place to snooze and even make a home
throughout the winter. By spring, poor Hettie is decidedly itchy and feeling
more than a little tired of being used as a hairy hotel. Granny, Kirsty and Callum come to the rescue,
but how do the guests fare? This is a
delightful picture book which the children loved because they were sympathetic
to Hettie but also worried about the other creatures surviving the winter. It led to some interesting discussions!

Gill Roberts

Let’s find Mimi - At
home

Written and illustrated by Katherine Lodge

Hodder £10.99

ISBN: 978-0340999721

This is a delightful picture book
designed to encourage play and talk. The
story is confined to a simple rhyming description of Mimi’s day at home whilst
waking, getting dressed, having breakfast, and doing various activities with
members of her family, until bed time arrives. Whilst there is interest in
these episodes, the book is designed principally as a puzzle, with each page
showing a host of tiny mice each engaged in the same activity. The challenge is
to find Mimi in each illustration. Many children will enjoy scouring each page
looking for Mimi. The pictures are full of detail, so there are enormous
opportunities for imaginative play and conversation about the various members
of Mimi’s family shown on each page.

Liz Dubber

Fetch

Written and illustrated by
Jane Cabrera

Orchard, £10.99,

ISBN: 978-1408313879

The hero of this tale is
Fetch, a little black dog who is rescued from being a stray by Rosa, and in return proves the most useful of companions
- fetching and carrying things for anyone who needs help. With its bold and
colourful illustrations depicting toy-like characters, Fetch is an ideal read
for younger children who like dogs and enjoy indulging in some of the charming
clichés surrounding our four-legged friends. The simple, repeated action of the
dog’s fetching is in step with this age group’s desire for repetition and the
reward at the end comes when Fetch reveals a litter of puppies to Rosa who
cries “This is the BEST thing you’ve ever fetched!”

Rowan Stanfield

Red Riding Hood and
the Sweet Little Wolf

Written by Rachael Mortimer

Illustrated by Liz Pichon

Hodder £10.99

ISBN: 978-1444900668

Everybody knows that wolves like
to eat juicy little girls, but not this wolf! She just loves all things pretty,
especially anything pink and fluffy, and she loves stories, much to the despair
of her parents who are traditional ‘big bad wolves’. This is a re-telling of
the traditional tale of Little Red Riding Hood, but it is a brilliant story
that children will enjoy, without any knowledge of the original. The cover
illustration tells the reader that this is no ordinary wolf and the
illustrations inside are brilliant, bright, cheerful and attractive. This is a
wonderful book to read and children will love it.

Pat Thompson

Harry and the Jaggedy
Daggers

Written and illustrated by Jan Fearnley

Egmont £6.99

ISBN: 978-1405261692

After Harry, the Harbour Mouse,
loses his boat to the Jaggedy Daggers in a storm, he improvises a blue and
white teacup to ferry around his cargo and passengers much to the amusement of
the river rats. However, when another storm strikes, it is only Harry's
ingenious little boat that can save the day and prevent the Jaggedy Daggers
from claiming more victims. This is a charming story brought to vibrant life by
amusing and detailed illustrations that reward curiosity and careful study, as
well as providing lots of opportunity for interaction and sharing. The book
includes an ingenious foldout map of BottlenoseBay which will fascinate
young readers and offers a tantalising glimpse of potential future stories.

Benjamin Scott

The Pirates Next Door

Written and illustrated by Jonny Duddle

Templar £6.99

ISBN 978-1848773929

Jonny Duddle won both the
Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize and Best Picture Book for this fresh, funny,
inventive and wry rhyming tale. Matilda lives in Dull-On-Sea, where nothing
ever happens, few children live, and life is dull. Then, a new family moves in
next door; the Jolley-Rogers with their son, Jim, who is barefoot, and has an
eye patch, a wooden legged dog and a pirate ship with treasure chests and
barrels full of grog. Matilda loves the life, colour and kindness the pirate
family bring. But the townsfolk are appalled, phone lines are hot, gossip grows
and a petition demands their departure. This book is tremendous fun;
fast-moving, engaging, thought- provoking, and much concerned with how we live
and how we judge others. Lively, detailed illustrations amuse and, unusually,
reveal as much as the words. A very
lovable book for reading aloud. Superb!

Tina Massey

Blue

Written by Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Michael Foreman

Walker £11.99

ISBN: 978-1406335224

Young Raffi lives with a big
brother who can do everything! Poor Raffi wishes that there was just one thing
that he was good at, but he can’t think of anything at all. One night, when he
can’t sleep, he hears a strange voice that belongs to Blue, a blue cat, who
takes him on a wonderful journey through the night sky. During this journey
Raffi finds his own particular skill. This is a lovely,
gentle story about Raffi and Blue. The language is varied and very poetic. The
illustrations are a delight. Children will immediately relate to Blue and Raffi
and become involved in their adventure.

Pat Thompson

Slobcat

Written and illustrated by Paul Geraghty

Andersen (R)
£5.99

ISBN: 978-1849393881

I'm sure that most people who've
ever owned a cat have had that feeling that their pet's constant sleeping is a
sneaky cover for a secret double life. It seems to his family that all
the affectionately named Slobcat ever does is sleep. While the words
convey the ponderings of a little girl on the inactivity of her cat, the
pictures tell a contrasting story, showing what he really gets up to when
no-one's looking. These covert activities include stealing fish from the
fishmonger's, saving kittens from drowning, hanging out with mice and other
small creatures and chasing off invaders from the garden. Paul Geraghty's
characterful depictions of Slobcat's adventures bring to life this charming
tale that will appeal to cat lovers everywhere.

Rowan Stanfield

Little Lion

Written by Lesley Beake

Illustrated by Erika Pal

Frances Lincoln
£11.99

ISBN: 978-1847801890

Dad comes home from work one day
with a pet for the family. “Brought you
a dog” he says, but the children know this is not a dog. It’s a lion, even if
Dad can’t see it. They settle the lion-dog into the family and try to hide its
lion-like behaviour. However, hiding it from the curiosity of the school bully
proves hard, especially as Big Jonno is determined to make life difficult for
them. Until one day, the lion-dog escapes and a bully gets his just deserts. Based
on stories of the Bushmen from the Northern Cape
in South Africa,
the book has a slightly surreal quality to it but the story is fun and enhanced
by Pal’s gloriously rich illustrations. The fact that the children see a lion
where the adult sees a dog creates humour that will appeal to child readers.
The story has a positive anti-bullying message and the ending has a neat twist
that offers the reader further opportunities for the adult and child to talk.

Annie Everall

The Queen’s
Knickers

Written and
illustrated by Nicholas Allan

Red Fox
(R) £5.99

ISBN:
978-0099413141

Re-released
to coincide with the Queen’s Royal Jubilee year, this humourous classic is
still as witty and appealing as when it was first published eleven years ago.
Playing on children’s’ inevitable puerile humour, it details all the different
underwear that the Queen sports for various occasions - black pants for state
funerals, union jack ones for foreign visits, and a special pair with a
parachute in for travelling. All of which are guaranteed to raise a chuckle
from both parent and child, as well as making HRH seem a whole lot more
accessible that she does on the average television broadcast. Allan’s simple
watercolours are packed with character and his rosy-cheeked people bring the light-hearted
prose to life.

Rowan
Stanfield

Melric the Magician
Who Lost His Magic

Written and illustrated by David McKee

Andersen £10.99

ISBN: 978-1849394390

This is exactly what we have come
to expect from David McKee, a good story well-told and illustrated in his own
well-loved and instantly recognisable style. Melric, the king’s magician, uses
his magic to do everything for everyone and nobody else in the kingdom ever has
to do a thing. When one morning Melric
wakes up to find that his magic has gone and none of his spells will work, the
people have to try to get by without magic, but they struggle with even the
simplest tasks and there is mayhem everywhere. So, the magician sets off on a
journey to seek help. This is a lovely book to share with young children as
there is so much to look at in the detailed pictures on every page and all of
us, including Melric, have to know that magic should only to be used on very
special occasions.

Jan Lennon

Goldilocks

Written by Allan Ahlberg

Illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg

Walker
Books £12.99

ISBN: 978-1406330052

This novelty book starts off with
an amusing retelling of the well known story of GoldilocksandThe Three Bears and then Mr Ahlberg’s
wonderful imagination completely takes over and he reinvents the story several
times. In the next story Goldilocks encounters 33 bears, not just the usual
three, and after that she meets three Blim who live in a spaceship in the
woods. The stories themselves are entertaining and delightfully wacky and the
book is greatly enhanced by Jessica Ahlberg’s colourful illustrations and also
by all the flaps and tags just waiting for small fingers to investigate. There
is even a small removable book, which contains yet another version of the
story, waiting to be discovered part way through. This is not just a book, it
is a whole interactive experience that children will love and it may very well
even encourage them to imagine yet more adventures for Goldilocks, or even
Little Red Riding Hood, for themselves.

Jan Lennon

The Fishing Trip

Written and illustrated by Béatrice Rodriguez

Gecko £8.99

ISBN: 978-1877579240

This wordless picture book has
plenty of scope for the reader to provide the story. Hen, nursing an egg, is
informed by her partner, Fox, that there is no food in the house. Consigning the egg to his care, she goes
bravely forth to fish for supper and successfully battles against the sea, a
bird of prey and a sea monster, but returns with supper. On her return, she sees the broken egg and a
frying pan! But all is well, Fox is
cuddling their offspring which has safely hatched and a celebratory supper can
be enjoyed. I would also recommend this
for older pupils studying writing. In
the face of a ménage à trois with a
crab, a partner who sends his nursing partner out to get the food and the
arrival of a newborn , even the most dismissive teenager would find it hard to
resist giving you their opinion.

Pat Thomson

Re-Zoom

Written by Istvan Banyai

Puffin £9.99

ISBN: 978-0140556940

Like Zoom before it, this is a picture book for older readers. Each page
contains a colourful and detailed drawn image and each relates closely to the
previous image by being located in the same scene, but dramatically zoomed
out. So we see that what starts as an
archaeologist studying hieroglyphics, ends as a picture in a book on a train
journey. It all seems slightly
impossible but that’s not really the point.
The value is in treating each pair of pictures together and challenging
our assumptions as we move through the book. There is no text in this book, but
it is a great way to play with visual imagery and help our children to develop
a critical eye. The images are different
enough to surprise us as we move through the pages, and provide plenty of
material for discussion. Leave this out
for children to pick up and see what happens and what conversations follow!

Liz Dubber

Excuses,
Excuses

Written by
Anushka Ravishankar

Illustrated
by Gabrielle Manglou

Tara £10.99

ISBN:
978-9380340128

A very
contemporary book with a surreal and strange feel about it, Excuses, Excuses is a storytelling poem
that follows a young boy, Neel, through a series of naughty escapades for which
he has more and more outlandish excuses. Neel is depicted photographically
throughout, posing in black and white amongst odd and abstract illustrations
and collage. You almost need to digest the imagery on its own before tackling
the words; the two together are quite intense. For all its quirkiness, the book
is a great introduction to different poetical forms, utilising as it does
several different rhyming conventions and meters across the different days of
the story. The average child reader will no doubt identify with Neel, and be
able to have a giggle at some of his excuses, while for the parent it provides
a useful tool for approaching bad behaviour in a non-aggressive way.

Rowan Stanfield

Taka-chan and I: A
Dog’s Journey to Japan

Written by Betty Jean Lifton

Photographs by Eikoh Hosoe

Frances Lincoln Ltd
£9.99

ISBN: 978-1590175026

Betty Jean Lifton tells us this
story just as it was told to her by Runcible, a rather amazing Weimaraner
dog. Runcible was digging in the sand
near his home one day when he found himself in a tunnel. He carried on through
the darkness until he emerged into the daylight once more and discovered he was
in Japan.
There he met Taka-chan, a little girl who was being held captive by the Black
Dragon of the Sea, and in order to secure her freedom Runcible accepted the
challenge to find the most loyal person in Japan and lay a white flower at his
or her feet. Runcible and Taka-chan set off for Tokyo to begin their search. This story of
friendship and loyalty is beautifully presented. The language is clear and
simple and Eikoh Hosoe’s stunning, large black and white photos illustrate the
two friends’ journey to Tokyo,
their adventures in the city and their growing affection for each other. Some
readers may find the story hard to believe but Runcible has an answer for that.
He says “who is to say what a dream is and what is real?”

Jan Lennon

Every Little
Thing

Adapted by Cedella Marley

Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Chronicle Books (eB)
£10.99

ISBN: 978-1452106977

This is an original
interpretation of Bob Marley’s song Three Little Birds from the classic
album Exodus. Marley’s daughter has taken the refrain Every little thing isgonna be alright and expanded this into
a lively, uplifting picture book. The energetic and brightly coloured
illustrations provide a fitting accompaniment to the positive message of the
song.

Dave Chant

Harold and the
Purple Crayon

Written by Crockett Johnson

Harper Collins (R) (eB)
£6.99

ISBN: 978-0007464371

First published over fifty years
ago this children’s classic is reprinted here in a larger format and will
delight readers of all ages. The illustrations are bright and full of vitality
and the story unforgettable. Harold sets out on a night-time adventure with
only a purple crayon for company. Whatever he draws comes to life. This is a
‘must have’ and will evoke lovely memories in fans and stir imaginations
everywhere.

David Blanch

Two Shy Pandas

Written by Julia Jarman

Illustrated by Susan Varley

Andersen £10.99

ISBN: 978-1849394093

They say pandas are shy and these
two, although next door neighbours and longing to play together, are just too
shy to make the first move. Then, it snows and both of them take courage. The
gentle winter pictures give us scenes of anyone’s garden play and the story
tells of anyone’s desire for a friend. The bamboo grove is a bonus.

Pat Thomson

Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Pavilion (R) £10.99

ISBN: 978-1843651031

Irresistible tunes and witty
words will delight everyone. Abundantly illustrated by an easily recognised
artist in a magnificently colourful setting, this book is set to be a true
family favourite.

Jenny Blanch

Friends

Written and illustrated by
Michael Foreman

Andersen £10.99

ISBN: 978-1849394116

Cat can wander wild and free, but
his friend, Bubble, is confined to a goldfish bowl. Cat transfers him to a
small bucket to show him the wonderful world and then gets the idea to set
Bubble free so he too can be wild and free. But Bubble is not ready to swim
away because he values his friendship with Cat more than his freedom. A very
gentle story of true friendship told with few words and soft, glowing
illustrations! A book to treasure from a great author and a wonderful
illustrator.

The much-loved Wombles return in
this edition of a familiar story reinvigorated by Nick Price’s new lively and
colourful illustrations. Snow falls during the night and Wimbledon Common looks
clean and tidy, so several young Wombles decide to stop work and enjoy the
snow. But Uncle Bulgaria
decides to join in the fun and teach the young Wombles a lesson. Great fun, and
free Womble stickers too!

Sinead and Martin Kromer

Jolly Snowman

Written by Emma Goldhawk

Illustrated by Jonathan Lambert

Templar £12.99

ISBN: 978-1848772236

An appealing
glove puppet peeps through the cover to interact with young readers and rhyming
couplets invite them to talk about having fun in the snow. Great fun!

Jenny Blanch

The Fox’s Tale

Written by Nick Butterworth

Illustrated by Mick Inkpen

Candle Books (R) £5.99

ISBN: 978-1859858288

“Hello, I’m a fox. I live out on
the hills ... Here’s my story. It’ll make your tail bristle. Listen.” These are
the words which begin an enchanting version of the story of the first
Christmas. Fox is amazed and overawed by the sight of angels appearing on the
hillside and a tiny baby being born in a stable in Bethlehem. Large, bold print, simple
vocabulary and clear, merry illustrations will captivate any child, whilst
retelling the Christmas story.

Sinead and Martin Kromer

Diary of a
Christmas Wombat

Written by Jackie French

Illustrated by Bruce Whatley

HarperCollins (eB) £6.99

ISBN: 978-0007490714

Subtle and witty, each word in
this story has been carefully chosen and placed imaginatively on the page
alongside big, colourful pictures. It is a simple, but clever, Australian tale.
Mothball the Wombat does very little except eat carrots but he manages to enjoy
a marvellous world-wide adventure.

Jenny Blanch

Christmas Surprise

Written by Hilary Robinson

Illustrated by Mandy Stanley

Strauss House £6.99

ISBN: 978-0957124516

This is a
thoughtful story about a class of young children who are invited to a local
care home to help the elderly residents get ready for Christmas. Vibrant and
colourful pictures are in tune with the words and the children experience that
there is much more to this celebration than money can buy.

Jenny Blanch

The Empty Stocking

Written by Richard Curtis

Illustrated by Rebecca Cob

Puffin £6.99

ISBN: 978-0141336251

Every Christmas children wonder
whether they have been good enough to receive lots of presents from Santa.
Charlie has definitely not been good enough, but when Santa muddles up her
stocking with that of her twin sister she decides that she has to be the best
she has ever been. Her kindness is rewarded and everyone is happy on Christmas
morning. A delightful Christmas story brought to life by Rebecca Cobb’s quirky,
zany illustrations.